Your Rodinal formula for TMax 400, Agfa APX 400 and Ilford HP5 400

[sergey_larionov]

<p>Is it OK to ask a simple question without searching the forum thoroughly?<br /> I don't use the above-mentioned films regularly, just have one roll of this, two rolls of that etc., outdated. <br /> I use Rodinal and don't plan to prepare D-76 etc in the near future.</p>

<p>So just your best formulas for these films with rodinal please, including push and pull.</p>

<p>APX 400 is "green".<br /> And if there's "new" TMax (I heard something vaguely), mine would be "new" I guess. It is<strong> not</strong> outdated, actually.</p>

<p>Thank you.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>I'm not a big Rodinal fan anymore, so regard my advice and opinions accordingly. I used it many times over a period of a couple of decades. Now the only thing I like it for is 1+200 dilution and stand processing of films like Tri-X and FP4+ used in long nighttime exposures. Note that this isn't push processing because I'm accounting for reciprocity failure.</p>

<p>And Rodinal is not really a push processing developer. So don't commit an important underexposed roll until you've tested that combination first. Some folks like the look of underexposed Tri-X in Rodinal. But if you prefer less grain and something other than a soot and chalk appearance, try another developer.</p>

<p>APX 400 was closer to a true speed of 200, especially in Rodinal. One interesting quirk of this combination is that extended development of APX 400 at EI 800 in Rodinal increased grain without increasing contrast. That's potentially interesting if you happen to want that effect. It could be useful for high contrast lighting (nightclubs, stage shows) where you want very prominent grain without exaggerating contrast even further. But if you want a more conventional look and closer to a true 400 speed, try another developer.</p>

<p>T-Max 400 seemed pretty close to a true 400 speed in Rodinal 1+50. Tonality was typical TMY. Grain was interesting - very small, sharp, gritty salt and pepper looking, unusual for TMY. Again, potentially interesting if you like that effect.</p>

<p>I don't recall whether I ever tried HP5+ in Rodinal. If I did the results weren't memorable.</p>

[peterbcarter]

<p>My experience with Rodinal is you can usually achieve what ever you set out to do. I just didn't say easily.</p>

<p>Mostly it's a developer locked in time and usually favors older emulsions over newer ones. What this means is something like Foma 100 it will easily develop something pleasing with not much effort. Something like TMAX 400 , although produces a pleasing image, is generally better with newer formulas.</p>

<p>I have pushed hp5+ to ei 3200 with reasonable success.</p>

<p><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2795/4102419746_873cb11b45_d.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>20091113-f601-ei3200-hp5-rod-1x100-17 - stand developed......</p>

<p>I have had much better success pulling with rodinal. Sorry I have no live examples for you. The first one I tried was Foma 100 shot at ei 50 (Mas Dev Chart). Just stunning!</p>

<p>So, if you want to dance with Rodinal do so and love it. You will have lots of Friends. If you just want results......there are lots of other products out there.</p>

<p> </p>

[leighb]

<p>I've used Rodinal as my only* film developer for over 50 years, with excellent results.</p>

<p>It's not well suited to faster films, but produces stunning results with slower ones.</p>

<p>Check the Massive Development Chart for times with any film/developer combination.</p>

<p>- Leigh</p>

<p>*Full disclosure: I use Acufine on occasion, and Diafine always for 8x10 tray development</p>

 

[lex_jenkins]

<p>Good point about the older style emulsions. I have some Foma 100 - might give it a try with Rodinal and Tetenal Blue and compare results.</p>

[paulie_smith1]

<p>I found the addition of Sodium Ascorbate helped a bit with grain. Still sharp and biting but not quite as pronounced as without it.</p>

[mark_l6]

<p>Although it's not well suited to fast films as others have said, some of us like the look of tri-x or HP-5 overexposed a stop and developement pulled by 20%, I've been doing it for years in 4x5 and 8x10 and 120, would not do it for 35mm unless the enlargments were small</p>

[profhlynnjones]

<p>Rodinal (which I have used for for 50 or 60 years) is a compensating, high resolution, high granularity developer and for practical reasons should be used for thin emulsion high resolution films such as TMX;, Delta 100 and such films. When we taught film use (before the days of digital), I would tell my students who were suggesting Rodinal with high speed films, "This is like making love while standing up in a hammock, it is doing it the hard way, use a fine grain developer".</p>

<p>Lynn</p>